Harry whipped out her phone and started typing in frantic notes. It was an odd thought to realize I was the expert in the group. For so long, I’d been the journeyman. The apprentice. Huh. It was kinda a nice feeling, not going to lie.
I led Brandon off a little to the side at a forty-five-degree angle from the gazebo stairs. “This part right here, there’s not a lot of conflicting energy. It’ll be easier for her to move through here without getting confused. Harry, make a note that for someone not sensitive to find spots like this, either a geographical survey or dowsing rods will do it. Silver dowsing rods will cross where energy is high. Areas with a low concentration of metamorphic rock is what you’re looking for.”
She nodded, eyes not leaving her phone.
I handed out lights to Brandon, and we turned them on and spaced them out in two-foot intervals. In the dusk of the sunset, the light was brighter than I’d hoped for. Of course, that could partially be because of the cloud cover. Either way, I wasn’t complaining. The conditions were near optimum.
Once the lights were set out to my satisfaction, I pointed Brandon to the gazebo. “Stand back. You’re sexy and distracting.”
He perked up, pleased at my flirting, and immediately did as he was told. “I’ll try to be less sexy and distracting in the future.”
“Do so,” I commanded mock-solemnly. “Right, everyone. Camera’s rolling?”
Marianne flashed me a thumbs-up, not taking her eyes off the digital camera in her hands. “Yup.”
I pulled the snow globe free of the bag and set it on the bottom step, crouching down and holding out a hand. “Miss Emma? It’s showtime.”
The spirit inside lifted her head to regard me. She was barely there, really. Nothing distinctive about her form. I pushed a little energy out to her, needing to stabilize her better. As she cottoned on to the energy, her voice came to me clearly. “What if it doesn’t work?”
I heard Les suck in a hissed breath. He, at least, heard her.
“It will be fine,” I assured her gently. “You’re not the first I’ve helped over. Just take my hand. Let me guide you.”
She gingerly did, standing like she had human legs and muscles and bones to contend with. Odd, the mannerisms retained in death. Her touch felt cool against my bare skin, but not unpleasantly so. I waited for her to stand completely before leading her a half-step off the gazebo and onto the path marked by the lights.
Emma took a step, and with it, her form firmed a little, no longer completely transparent. She took another and then looked down, surprised to see herself on the path. “I’m stronger?”
Everyone jerked at that. They’d all heard her.
“Yes,” I confirmed, rather unnecessarily. “There’s good energy around you, that’s why. And you’re drawing strength from the light. Emma, do you remember your home? The feeling, the contentment, the joy of that?”
She turned her head, and I could see a nose, now. Something of her features. “Yes. I…I think I do.”
“Well, that’s all you’re doing. You’re going home.” I brought her another step forward, staying out of the lights, leaving her solely on the path. Rookie mistake, walking a path with a ghost. I’ve only done that once. Stupid’s a harsh teacher, but by god, you learn.
Emma walked, mostly unassisted, and her eyes faced forward once more. “Oh! I see it.”
“Bright light, open door waiting for you?” I double checked. Sometimes ghosts didn’t understand what they should be looking for.
“Yes! Is that it?”
“That is it, my lady. Walk on through.”
She paused at the end of the lights, and I assumed at the open door. She could see it clearly, but I couldn’t and shouldn’t until I was well and truly dead. Emma was fully distinguishable now and opaque. She’d been lovely in life, I could see that, and her smile at me spoke only of joy. “Thank you so much, Mack. I’m sorry for the trouble. Tell Jon thank you for taking me to you.”
“I can hear you fine, Emma,” Jon called to her from the gazebo. “And you’re quite welcome.”
She turned a little more, smiling at him, then sailed through that invisible door. In a flash, she was gone. For her sake, I was relieved. I turned to the watching crowd and shrugged, feeling rather like a stage magician at the end of a trick. “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the proper way to guide a spirit’s passing.”
9
Something about competence was sexy as hell. Right now, Mack was radiating it. I was alternatively proud of him and ready to drag him into a dark corner somewhere to kiss him senseless. If the flirting he’d done earlier was any indication, he’d be alright with making out. I just had to find the right timing.
Dave looked over Marianne’s shoulder, said something to her, then pumped a victorious fist into the air. “We got every second of that. Mack, it’s already paying off to work with you. Even the raw footage is glorious.”
Mack came up to the stairs, standing close to me, his body radiating heat. It made my skin tingle, and I was so distracted by that I almost didn’t pay attention to his response. “That’s great, Dave. So, what do you want to do now?”
“We’ll need to break down here, start setting up for tonight. We’ve got another two or three hours until proper nightfall, which should give us enough time to set it all up.”
I pulled my head back in the game. “You need help with any of that?”
Marianne shook her head. “No offense, but we know our equipment and how to set up. You won’t be of much help. Get dinner or something. Meet us in the basement area at eight o’clock.”
My libido immediately started making plans. “Okay. Guys, I guess we can take it easy.”
Jon gave me a look like he knew exactly what I was thinking (he likely did) and fought a smirk as he said, “I’ll hang with Donovan until it’s time, then. See you.”
I liked Jon for many reasons, but one of them was his ability to read a situation and act appropriately. He didn’t need to take a hint—he didn’t need the hint in the first place.
A hand slid into mine, fingers cold but firm. I looked down at Mack in surprise, but he wasn’t looking at me. He waved at the ghost hunting crew, then casually led me back inside. I returned the hold he had on me, anticipation turning my mouth a little dry. The fact he was dragging me off somewhere was a good sign, right?
We went straight up to my hotel room. I tried telling myself this was probably not going to go in that direction. My room was just the most private area on offer. My libido latched onto the word ‘private’ with great enthusiasm, like a dog with a new bone, and refused to let go of it.
Mack went through the door without any hesitation or hint of shyness, pulled me through, then shut the door with a very firm click. Only then did he turn to me, and for the first time, I saw a hint of nerves in the way his free hand fidgeted on the edge of his sweater.
“Brandon, clear the air with me. Are you just flirting for the hell of it or—”
My brain clicked off. I lunged forward without thinking about it and caught his neck with my free hand, holding him still as I kissed him. His lips were unbelievably soft, yielding under mine as he gave a soft sigh of pleasure that punched me right in the gut in the best sense. I tried to step in closer, wanting him pressed up against me, but the height difference posed a problem. I was forced to pull back before I really wanted to. It was either that or manhandle him, and I didn’t think that good manners with a guy I wasn’t technically dating.